Russo-Czech trade and economic relations have considerably grown lately. Alexander Yakovenko, the official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, made this statement in his interview with RIA Novosti on the eve of the forthcoming visit by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan to Russia.

Goods turnover in January-November 2001 reached the level of $2 bln. and is growing.

At the same time, the diplomat added that "lots of issues are still to be resolved in order to establish a mechanism for co-ordinating financial and investment, as well as scientific and technological cooperation with the Czech republic. Other burning issues of bilateral relations are Russian exports of goods and modern technologies and proper consideration of Russian interests, especially in the spheres of privatising major facilities of the Czech energy and machine engineering industries.